Background
On December 8, 2008 the Mesa City Council adopted a
strategic development plan for the Mesa Gateway Area (MGA)
in southeast Mesa. MGA includes the rapidly developing
area around Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport that will
become the economic engine for southeast Mesa and the
surrounding region. The study
focuses on two overlapping study areas. The
transportation study area extends approximately from
Power Road to Meridian Drive and from Southern Avenue to
Germann Road. The land use study area extends
approximately from Power Road to Meridian Drive and from
the halfway point between Guadalupe Road and Elliot Road
to Germann Road.
Elements included in the strategic development plan
are:
Strategic market assessments and economic
development;
Land use planning;
Community facility, infrastructure and utilities
plans;
A transportation master planning; and
A funding and implementation plan to achieve the
infrastructure and community facilities needed to
support the vision and prosperity of the area.
The study began in June 2007 and was
completed in December 2008. MGA is approximately 52
square miles and located within its boundaries are
freeways, universities, the airport, large landowners,
railroads, roadway access points and planned
developments. All of these elements are taken into
consideration during the planning process. The
consultant for the Mesa Gateway Strategic Development
Plan was HDR and their planning
philosophy is to enhance area assets, recognize the
value of the airport, integrate land use and
transportation, create fiscally responsible solutions
and a comprehensive growth strategy that will provide
the vision for high quality and innovative development
in this unique area of Mesa.
The planning process had six phases:
- Phase I: Project Start Up
- Phase II: Baseline Data Collection
- Phase III: Alternatives Analysis
- Phase IV: Refinement/Testing
- Phase V: Presentation/Adoption
- Phase VI: Plan Production
As each phase was completed a draft memo was
distributed for review and comment by the Stakeholder
Advisory Committee and the Project Advisory Committee.
The Stakeholder Advisory Committee is comprised of major
landowners, businesses, universities and community
members who are directly involved in the development of
the area. The Project Advisory Committee is comprised of
surrounding municipalities, government agencies and
utilities who have an interest in how the area is
developed. The final memos create the Mesa Gateway
Strategic Development Plan that was adopted by Mesa City
Council in December 2008.
The final memos are posted on this Web site for the
public to read.
Mesa Gateway Area Vision
Part of developing a strategic
plan is identifying a vision for MGA that the
stakeholder committee and project advisory committee
agrees upon and supports. To facilitate that process The
City of Mesa and HDR invited Dr. John Kasarda to tour
MGA, give a presentation about airport area development
and participate in the visioning process for MGA. Dr.
Kasarda is internationally recognized for
developing the concept of an "aerotropolis". He is an
expert in aviation infrastructure, logistics, urban
development and commercial real estate. Dr. Kasarda has
also consulted on many international and national
airport projects.
It is important that the Strategic Development Plan
identify a path for the future, while preserving
sufficient flexibility to accommodate changing market
demands, maintaining compatibility with airport
operations and furthering the City's economic
development goals. To this end, a general Framework Plan
has been established.
The Framework Plan is designed to establish the
critical aspects of general development character and
permissible land uses in the various sub-areas of the
Strategic Development Plan. The Framework Plan
designates the key considerations for land uses in the
various portions of the Strategic Development Plan area,
in keeping with airport operations and the City's
economic development objectives.
The Framework Plan's categories are more general than
those of the current General Plan, in that each category
can accommodate multiple General Plan land use
designations. While a description detailing the focus of
each of the districts is in the Plan Summary, the
Districts' Expectations and Visions document provides
details regarding the focus, form, goals, character,
standards, block character and design for each district.
Both the Plan Summary and the Districts' Expectations
and Visions are available at the top of this page.
Resources & Key Contacts
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